Ch#214
Streetlamp light fell over Tie's head.
Wearing his dad's slippers, Tie faced Marbas perched on his palm.
Marbas said.
[Last time, didn't you even shed tears? Saying you didn't want to go back.]
Tie looked flustered for a moment, then wiggled his toes under the slippers.
"Marrr, you heard everything, huh."
[Yes. The mood seemed serious, so I didn't step in.]
"Yeah, but......"
Tie scratched his head awkwardly.
"Tie decided to go back. Talochioum is where Tie belongs. That's Tie's hometown."
[Hmm.]
Marbas's expression grew serious.
He lifted his head.
[I understand what you're saying. However, to be precise, that world has a twisted timeline, doesn't it?]
"Timeline?"
[Yes. That place is seven years behind the original timeline. In other words, barring any major incidents, the original Master will be born in about seven years.]
Tie's mouth fell open.
[Perhaps Lord Lucarion or Lord Ppupu didn't mention it?]
"Mention what?"
Marbas grumbled and began spinning in place.
[To not even tell you this. Should I keep quiet too, then?]
Tie waited silently.
Marbas, whose face had paled in minutes, stared at Tie.
[......Master. Listen carefully. In time magic basic theory, there are these terms: Ortha and Rundel.]
Tie's eyes widened.
"I know! Lucarion told me before. Rundel is someone who time-traveled, and Ortha is the person originally in that world, right?"
Marbas nodded.
[That's right. So Mother became a Rundel from the moment she first arrived in Talochioum.]
"Yeah!"
[However......]
"However?"
[According to theory, Ortha and Rundel cannot coexist in the same world.]
Tie blinked in surprise.
"What does 'cannot coexist' mean?"
[It means exactly that—they can't exist together. Simply put, one must disappear.]
His heart sank.
Tie asked hesitantly.
"Which one disappears?"
For some reason, Marbas fell silent.
This was the Marbas who always eagerly answered any question.
Only after a long pause did he speak in a voice full of complicated emotions.
[I won't lie. The Rundel—Master—will be the one to disappear.]
Marbas sighed.
[Of course, that's just the theory. We can't be certain of the outcome yet. The situation is quite tangled right now, isn't it?]
"......"
[Master's father's memories merging, for one. And the time travel companion being Lord Lucarion, for another.]
"......"
[Above all, time magic is an extremely advanced spell to begin with. There are scarcely any records of it being activated in history. As a scholar, I can only give the irresponsible answer that we'll know the exact result when it happens. But.]
Marbas bounced lightly on Tie's palm as if to soothe him.
[If Master decides to stay here, all the problems I've mentioned will be resolved.]
Tie pursed his lips.
[If you stay here, even as the Rundel Mother, you'll become Ortha in this place!]
"......"
[But if you go to that world, what then? Mother will have to live worrying when the Ortha will be born. After the Ortha is born, she'll either vanish as per the Rundel's fate or live in hiding from everyone's eyes.]
Marbas lowered his voice.
[Here, though, there are the two humans who raised Mother, and even this Marrr!]
Marbas stared at Tie.
[From observing the past few days, I've judged that life here isn't bad. To live as a citizen in this country, a few things are needed. All of which I can forge easily.]
"......"
[Plus, didn't we bring some gold from Talochioum? I looked into it, and there are quite a few ways to launder gold into money here......]
"Tie is going back."
Tie said softly.
[Yes?]
"I don't want to be apart from Dad again. From now on, Tie and Dad are one, so I won't let that happen ever."
[But still......]
"And Dad always wanted to go back home."
On tiring workdays.
On days he came home late, Dad missed his hometown especially.
"Dad's family and friends are all in that world."
[......]
"Now Tie's family and friends are there too."
Tie turned to gaze at room 107's iron door.
"Of course, Grandma in 107 and Aunt in 203 are Tie's family too."
Tie faced Marbas again.
"But this isn't Tie's home. This is like a bus stop where the kindergarten bus stops briefly. And also......"
A faint mist gathered in the child's eyes.
"I miss Kkamangi."
[......]
"Even if I disappear in seven years later."
[......]
"I want to be with Lucarion, Uncle Basto, and everyone else."
Tie finally wiped his eye corner with one hand.
"I didn't even say proper goodbyes to them, hic."
Only then did Marbas anxiously bounce up.
Seeing Tie cry made him realize the gravity of the situation.
[Ma, Master. I spoke out of turn!]
"Hweeng......"
[I overstepped! I just thought so rationally that staying here might be safer and more groundbreaking!]
Marbas jumped off Tie's palm and banged his head against the cement wall.
[Punish me severely! If Lord Ppupu finds out about this, I won't keep my life......!]
But just before Marbas could flop to the ground, Tie quickly picked him up.
The child pouted his lips and said.
"......It's okay. I just teared up a little because I miss everyone."
[Master......]
"Marrr. You said we won't know until the Ortha Tie is born, right?"
Marbas's eyes widened.
He nodded quickly.
[Yes! Currently, we can't say the Rundel Mother will definitely vanish......]
"Then it's fine."
[Yes?]
"It was the same when leaving Jongno-gu for Talochioum. I was so worried I wouldn't find Dad, and thought I couldn't say goodbye to Grandma and Aunt."
[......]
"But now it's all done, right? I found Dad, his memories came back! I even got to say proper goodbyes to Grandma and Aunt."
Tie smiled brightly, as if he hadn't been crying.
"Tie is okay. I'm not a scaredy-cat. I'll worry later—first, I need to go back and check if Aunt Libia and the Association President are okay."
When he left, the Association President had been badly injured.
Tie had healed her, but Libia had nearly died too, so she needed checking.
"So Marrr, go quickly."
As the child looked up, the Harmonium floating in the air descended.
Marbas gazed alternately at Tie and the Harmonium with reverent eyes.
"Open the passage again when you get there. Got it?"
Marbas finally nodded.
A tiny cluster of light appeared behind Marbas.
[I'll be right back! It won't take minutes!]
Marbas jumped into the light cluster.
The Harmonium followed him into the passage and vanished.
Left alone under the streetlamp, Tie stared quietly at the empty air.
Then carefully slipped off his shoes and went back inside.
The child quietly went to Tese tan's side and shook his dad awake.
"Dad, Dad."
Tese tan quietly opened his eyes.
Tie said with a smile.
"Marrr just crossed over! He said he'll open the passage soon."
Tese tan sat up.
Tie said in an intentionally cheerful voice.
"Great, right? I thought we couldn't go back for so long. But now we can go home again soon......"
But it was strange.
His mouth was smiling, yet tears kept streaming down his cheeks.
Tie consciously avoided looking at Grandma 107 and Aunt 203.
Hugging the child, Tese tan said.
"No need for goodbyes?"
Tie shook his head vigorously.
The goodbyes were already done last night.
He had sensed the impending farewell when he saw the Harmonium nearly full.
At that moment, the ticking clock stopped as if by magic.
Tie looked up.
It was the same as before.
Under the fluorescent light, the dot-like Subspace was slowly opening wider.